Spout equipped carton



Jan. 16, 1962 s. D. COLLIE 3,017,065

SPOUT EQUIPPED CARTON Filed June 25, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR H! E fliiwm Jan. 16, 1962 s. D. COLLIE SPOUT EQUIPPED CARTON 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 25, 1959 INVENTOR Szfircifl Co'ZZz'e @521 g ATTOR EYS Jan. 16, 1962 s. D. COLLIE 3,017,065

SPOUT EQUIPPED CARTON Filed June 25, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 5 J] 2 J 7 I INVENTOR J2 Say/ 87 1.2 COZZZ' ATTORNEYS hired rates This invention relates generally to cartons for containing and dispensing granular or flaky products, and specifically to a novel spout forming construction for such cartons.

The spout is associated with a pouring opening of the carton, normally occupies a closed position, and is outwardly swingable to an open position for use. Heretofore, with such associations, there has been a possibility of accidential inward swinging of the spout while in use: and when the spout has been an integral part of the carton, it has had a tendency to spring back toward closed position when released after opening. Such occurrences have been aggravating and have also resulted in spilling of the product being poured.

One object of the invention has been to overcome the above stated difficulties by providing the spout and carton with coacting lock portions which engage as soon as the spout has been moved to fully open position, and then prevent return movement of the spout until disengaged by hand.

Another object has been to provide a novel construction in which the coacting lock portions are respectively on at least one side wall of the spout and an edge wall of the pouring opening, and in which the spout is sufficiently resilient to cause engagement of said lock portions with a snap action.

Still another object has been to provide the coacting lock portions in the forms of a shoulder and a notch, respectively, the shoulder being on an edge wall of the pouring opening, and the notch being in a side wall of the spout to receive said shoulder when the spout is fully opened.

A further object has been to provide a novel and strong construction in which the pouring opening and a hinged closure therefor are respectively formed in and integral with a top flap of the carton, in which the hinged pouring spout is formed from portions of-a subjacent top flap, and in which said closure is secured to the bottom of said spout, whereby upward swinging of said closure will upwardly swing said spout through the pouring opening.

A still further object has been to secure the aforesaid hinged closure to the lower side of a third upwardly swingable element formed by a portion of another top flap of the carton, said third upwardly swingable element being wider and longer than said closure and the spout bottom to project beyond the same and normally lie upon the flap in which the pouring opening is formed, the free end of said third upwardly swingable element being accessible for manual lifting to thereby cause unitary upward swinging of the three connected hinged elements.

Yet another object has been to provide for expeditious manufacture by incorporating all necessary elements in a single blank of fiber-board.

With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description, the appended claims and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

in the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is an inner side view of the blank.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary perspective view, partly atent 3,017,965 Patented Jan. 16, 1962 broken away, showing the upper end of the partly completed carton with the spout-forming flap and a companion flap folded inwardly, with the top flap which has the pouring opening and its closure projecting outwardly, and with the top fiap which has the third upwardly swing able element also projecting outwardly.

FIGURE 3 is a similar view with the flap which has the pouring opening and its closure folded inwardly, with said closure cemented upon the spout bottom, and with said flap cemented upon the aforesaid companion flap.

FIGURE 4 is a similar view in which the top flap which carries the third upwardly swingable element has been folded inwardly and cemented in place with said third upwardly swingable element cemented upon the aforesaid closure.

FIGURES 5 and 6 are vertical sectional views on lines 55 and 66 of FIGURE 4, respectively.

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the spout and connected elements in open position and locked.

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view on the plane indicated by line 8-8 of FIGURE 7.

FIGURE 9 is a detail sectional view showing the preferred material employed (conventional corrugated fiberboard).

The preferred construction has been shown and will be rather specifically described but attention is invited to the possibility of making variations within the scope of the invention.

In describing the disclosed construction, the same reference characters will be employed for the various portions of the blank (FIGURE 1) and the carton elements formed from said portions.

The blank (FIGURE 1) is preferably cut from corrugated fiber-board (FIGURE 9) but any other appropriate carton material may be employed. This blank includes a first side wall panel ill, a first edge wall panel 11, a second side wall panel 12, a second edge wall panel 13, and a tongue 14 at one end of the blank for securing this end to the other end when forming the carton. All of the panels ill to 13 are rectangular and of the same length. The width of the panels 10 and 12, however, is greater than that of the panels 11 and 13.

The panels 10 and 11 are joined along a fold line 15; the panels 11 and 1 12 are joined along a fold line 16; the panels 12 and 13 are joined along a fold line 17; and the tongue 14 is shown as joined along a fold line 18 to the panel ill. This tongue, however, could well be joined to the panel 13 instead of to the panel 19.

A first top flap 19, a second top flap 20, a third top flap 21 and a fourth top flap 22 are provided. Flap 19 is joined along a fold line 23 to the upper end of panel It); flap 2! is joined along a fold line 24 to the upper end of panel it; flap 21 is joined along a fold line 25 to the upper end of the panel. 12; and flap 22 is joined along a fold line 26 to the upper end of panel 13.

Bottom flaps 27, 28, 29 and 30 are shown joined along fold lines 31 to the lower ends of the panels 10, 11, 12 and 13, respectively. However, the present invention is not concerned with the formation of the carton bottom and the flaps 27 to 30 are therefore illustrative rather than limiting.

The first top fiap 19 has a substantially U-shaped slit 32 and a hinge line 33 connecting the ends of said slit 32. This slit is formed in one end portion of the flap 19 and the hinge line 33 is toward the end edge 34 of said flap and at a right angle to the fold line 23.

The portion 35 of the flap 19 which is surrounded by the slit 22 and binge line 33, when swung upwardly in the completed carton (FIGURES 7 and 8), provides the flap 19 with a pouring opening 36: and said portion 35 '2 a constitutes a closure which normally closes said opening 36.

The longitudinal portions of the slit 32. which form the longitudinal edge walls of the opening 36 are so stepped as to provide each of said edge walls with an inner longitudinal portion 37 toward the hinge line 33, with an outer longitudinal edge portion 38, and with a shoulder 39 at the juncture of said edge portions 37 and 38. The edge portions 37 preferably diverge away from the ends of the hinge line 33 and the inwardly stepped edge portions 38 preferably converge toward the end of the opening 36 remote from said hinge line.

The second top flap 2%) is shaped to provide a pouring spout bottom 44 and two spout side walls 41 joined along fold lines 42 to said bottom 44 This bottom it) has a hinge line 43 parallel with the fold line 24 and of substantially the same length as the hinge line 33 of the closure 35. The inner ends of the side walls 41 are severed from the inner end portion of the flap 29 by angular slits 44. These slits extend to the ends of the hinge line 43 and this hinge line is positioned to underlie the closure hinge line 33 in the completed carton. The fold lines 42 preferably converge as shown: and the size of the spout bottom 40 is such that it and the spout side walls 41 may be upwardly swung through the opening 36 in the completed carton, as seen in FIGURES 7 and 8. Such upward swinging of the bottom 40 and side walls 41, causes folding of said side walls into angular relation with said bottom. The free longitudinal edges of the side walls 41 have notches 45 to receive the shoulders 39 and thus lock the spout in erected position, as seen in FIGURES 7 and 8.

The third top flap 21 has a substantially U-shaped slit 46 and a hinge line 47 connecting the ends of said slit. The hinge line 47 is parallel with the hinge line 33 of the closure 35, is longer than said hinge line 33, and is so positioned as to overlie said hinge lines 33 and 43 in the completed carton structure.

The flap portion surrounded by the slit 46 and binge line 47 constitutes a third upwardly swingable element 48 in the completed structure. This element is wider and longer than the closure 35 and spout bottom 40 to project beyond the same and lie upon the subjacent flap 19. The free end of the element 48 has a finger-nailtab 49 normally seated in a notch 50 at the adjacent end of the U-shaped slit 46.

In forming a carton from the blank, assuming that said carton is to be filled from the top before closing the top flaps 19, 20, 21 and 22, the walls 10, 11, 12 and 13 are brought into proper relation, the tongue 14 is cemented to the wall 13 or 10, depending on the location of said tongue, and the bottom flaps 27, 28, 29 and 30 are folded into lapped relation and cemented to form the carton bottom. The carton is then filled and the flaps 20 and 22 are inwardly folded as in FIGURE 2. Then, the flap 19 is inwardly folded as seen in FIGURE 3, is cemented at 51 to the flap 22 and is cemented at 52 to all portions of the flap 20 except the spout side walls 41. Some of the cement 52 secures the closure 35 to the spout bottom 40. Then, the flap 21 is inwardly folded as seen in FIGURE 4 and cemented at 53 to the flap 19. Some of the cement 53 secures the element 48 to the closure 35, but the longitudinal edge portions 54, outer end portion 55 and tab 49 of said element 48 are left unsecured to the flap 19.

The above described procedures close the upper end of the carton and the various elements are then related as shown in FIGURES 4, and 6.

When it is desired to pour contents from the carton, the tab 49 is gripped and pulled upwardly. This upwardly starts the element 43, the closure 35, and the spout bottom 40 as a single unit. As the closure 35 starts upwardly, it provides the pouring opening 26 in the flap 19 and the spout bottom 4%} starts upwardly through said opening 26. As this occurs, the spout side walls 41 are caused to swing downwardly with respect to the spout bottom 40, as will be clear from FIGURE 6. Continued upward swinging of the three connected elements 35, 40 and 48 causes the spout side walls 41 to swing inwardly into proper opposed relation as they ascend with the spout bottom 49. During this ascent, the side walls 41 slide on the edge wall portions 38 of the opening 3d until the spout has been fully erected, as seen in FIG- URES 7 and 8. By this time, the notches 45 have reached the shoulders 39 and the resiliency of the material from which the spout is formed, causes the side walls 41 to snap outwardly against the edge wall portions 37 of the opening 36 as seen in FEGURE 7. The shoulders 39 are thus received in the notches 45. The shoulders 39 and notches 45 then constitute engaged and coacting lock portions which lock the spout and connected elements against springing back toward closed position or against other accidental movement toward said closed position. After pouring of carton contents through the opening 36 and the spout, inward springing of the spout side walls 41 will disengage the lock portions 39 and 45 and permit return of the spout and connected elements to closed position.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that novel and advantageous construction has been disclosed for attain ing the desired ends. However, attention is again invited to the possibility of making variations within the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a carton having a predetermined opening of a fixed size through which contents may be poured; a pouring spout associated with said opening and hinged to the carton for outward movement from a normal closed position to an open pouring position, said pouring spout and carton having coacting lock portions which engage upon movement of said spout to said pouring position, said lock portions being constructed and arranged to prevent return of the spout to said normal closed position until said lock portions are manually disengaged, the spout hinge being disposed at one end of said opening and at least one of the opposed longitudinal edges of said opening being inwardly stepped at the other end of said opening, providing said opening with at least one inner longitudinal edge wall portion toward said hinge, with at least one outer longitudinal edge wall portion remote from said hinge and with a shoulder at the juncture of said inner and outer edge wall portion, said spout having opposed side walls one of which slides upon said outer longitudinal edge wall portion during opening of said spout, said one of said side walls having a notch to clear said outer longitudinal edge wall portion when the spout reaches fully open position, said spout being sumciently resilient to then outwardly snap said one of said side walls against said inner longitudinal edge Wall portion, thereby causing reception of said shoulder in said notch and preventing return of the spout to closed position until said one of said side walls is inwardly sprung to disengage said notch from said shoulder, said shoulder and notch constituting the aforesaid coacting lock portions.

2. In a carton having a predetermined opening of a fixed size through which contents may be poured; a pouring spout associated with said opening and hinged to the carton for outward movement from a normal closed position to an open pouring position, said pouring spout and carton having coacting lock portions which engage upon movement of said spout to said pouring position, said lock portions being constructed and arranged to prevent return of the spout to said normal closed position until said lock portions are manually disengaged, the spout hinge being disposed at one end of said opening and being at least one of the opposed longitudinal edges of said opening is inwardly stepped at the other end of said opening, providing said opening with at least one inner longitudinal edge wall portion toward said hinge, with at least one outer longitudinal edge wall portion remote from said hinge and with a shoulder at the juncture of said inner and outer edge wall portions, said spout having opposed side walls one of which slides upon said outer longitudinal edge wall portion during opening of said spout, said one of said side walls having a notch to clear said outer longitudinal edge Wall portion when the spout reaches fully open position, said spout being sufficiently resilient to then outwardly snap said one of said side walls against said inner longitudinal edge wall portion, thereby causing reception of said shoulder in said notch and preventing return of the spout to closed position until said one of said side walls is inwardly sprung to disengage said notch from said shoulder, said shoulder and notch constituting the aforesaid coacting lock portions; the aforesaid spout being provided with a bottom extending between said side walls, and a closure member secured to the outer side of said bottom and shaped to close said opening when said spout occupies closed position.

3. In a carton, an upper end Wall formed by lapped secured together end fiaps, said end wall comprising a lower flap and at least a second flap lying upon said lower flap, said second flap having a substantially U-shaped slit the ends of which are connected by a hinge line, the portion of said second flap surrounded by said slit and hinge line consituting an upwardly swingable closure which when upwardly swung provides said second flap with a pouring opening, said lower flap having a second hinge line under and substantially coextensive in length with the first mentioned hinge line, said lower flap being shaped to form a spout bottom and two spout side walls joined along fold lines to said spout bottom, said second hinge line being at one end of said spout bottom, said spout bottom being secured to the aforesaid closure and being dimensioned to pass through the aforesaid opening when said closure and spout bottom are jointly swung upwardly, said spout side walls being normally in substantially the same plane with said spout bottom and being swingable along said fold lines into angular relation with said spout bottom during said upward swinging of said closure and spout bottom, said second flap and at least one of said spout side walls having coacting lock portions to engage when said spout arrives at a fully raised position, said lock portions being constructed and arranged to prevent return of said spout to a lowered position until said lock portions are disengaged.

4. A structure as specified in claim 3, in which the aforesaid end wall also including a top flap lying upon said second flap, said top flap havin a substantially U-shaped slit and a hinge line connecting the ends of this slit, this hinge line being above and longer than the two aforsaid hinge lines, the portion of said top flap surrounded by said slit and hinge line of this flap constituting a third upwardly swingable element which is secured upon said closure, said third upwardly swingable element being of greater Width and length than said closure and having portions projecting laterally and longitudinally from the same, the projecting portions of said third upwardly swingable element being free of connection with the underlying portions of said second flap, the free end of said third upwardly swingable element being accessible to allow manual upward swinging of said third element to thereby cause upward swinging of the aforesaid closure and spout.

5. A carton forming blank comprising a first side wall panel, a first edge wall panel joined along a fold line to said first side wall panel, a second side wall panel joined along a fold line to said first edge wall panel, a second edge wall panel joined along a fold line to said second side wall panel, a tongue joined along a fold line to one of the endrnost of the aforsaid wall panels for use in joining the two ends of the blank; a first top flap joined along a fold line to the upper end of said first side wall panel, a second top flap joined along a fold line to the upper end of said first edge wall panel, a third top flap joined along a fold line to the upper end of said second side wall panel, said second top flap being dimensioned to underlie one end portion of said first top flap in the completed carton, said third top flap being adapted to then lie upon said first top flap; said first top flap having a substantially U-shaped slit and a hinge line connecting the ends of this slit, said hinge line being at a right angle to the fold line joining said first top fiap to said first side wall panel, the portion of said first top flap surrounded by said Ushaped slit and fold line being adapted to form an upwardly swingable closure in the completed carton and when swung upwardly providing a pouring opening in said first top flap; said second top flap being shaped to provide a pouring spout bottom and two pouring spout side Walls joined along fold lines to said bottom, said bottom having a hinge line parallel with the fold line connecting said second top flap with said first edge wall panel and of substantially the same length as the aforesaid hinge line, said spout side walls being severed from said second top flap except along the fold lines of said side walls, said spout bottom being adapted to be secured against the lower side of the aforesaid closure in the completed carton and being of a size to allow upward swinging of the pouring spout through the aforesaid opening when said closure is upwardly swung; said third top flap having a substantially U-shaped slit and a hinge line connecting the ends of this slit, the latter hinge line being parallel with the first mentioned hinge line and longer than the same, the portion of said third top flap surrounded by the last named slit and hinge line constituting a third upwardly swingable element to be socured upon the aforesaid closure in the completed carton, said third upwardly swingable element being of greater width and length than said closure and said spout bottom to project laterally and longitudinally therefrom and lie upon the underlying portions of said first top flap in the completed carton, the free end of said third upwardly swingable element being then accessible to permit upward swinging of this element by hand, thereby also causing upward swinging of the aforesaid closure and spout; and bottom flaps joined along fold lines to at least some of the aforesaid wall panels.

6. A carton forming blank comprising a first side wall panel, a first edge wall panel joined along a fold line to said first side wall panel, a second side wall panel joined along a fold line to said first edge wall panel, a second edge wall panel joined along a fold line to said second side wall panel, a tongue joined along a fold line to one of the endmost of the aforesaid wall panels for use in joining the two ends of the blank; a first top flap joined along a fold line to the upper end of said first side wall panel, a second top flap joined along a fold line to the upper end of said first edge wall panel, a third top flap joined along a fold line to the upper end of said second side wall panel, said second top flap being dimensioned to underlie one end portion of said first top flap in the completed carton, said third top flap being adapted to then lie upon said first top flap; said first top flap having a substantially U-shaped slit and a hinge line connecting the ends of this slit, said hinge line being at a right angle to the fold line joining said first top flap to said first side wall panel, the portion of said first top flap surrounded by said U-shaped slot and fold line being adapted to form an upwardly swingable closure in the completed carton and when swung upwardly providing a pouring opening in said first top flap; said second top flap being shaped to provide a pouring spout bottom and two pouring spout side walls joined along fold lines to said bottom, said bottom having a hinge line parallel with the fold line connecting said second top flap with said first edge wall panel and of substantially the same length as the aforesaid hinge line, said spout side walls being severed from said second top flap except along the fold lines of said side walls, said spout bottom being adapted to be secured against the lower side of the aongoee aforesaid closure in the completed carton and being of a size to allow upward swinging of the pouring spout through the aforesaid opening when said closure is upwardly swung; said third top flap having a substantially U-shaped slit and a hinge line connecting the ends of this slit, the latter hinge line being parallel with the first mentioned hinge line and longer than the same, the portion of said third top flap surrounded by the last named slit and hinge line constituting a third upwardly swingable element to be secured upon the aforesaid closure in the completed carton, said third upwardly swingable element being of greater width and length than said closure and said spout bottom to project laterally and longitudinally therefrom and lie upon the underlying portions of said first top flap in the completed carton, the free end of said third upwardly swingable element being then accessible to permit upward swinging of this element by hand, thereby also causing upward swinging of the aforesaid closure and spout; and bottom flaps joined along fold lines to at least some of the aforesaid wall panels, at least one of the opposed longitudinal edge walls of said opening being inwardly stepped at the end thereof remote from the hinge line of said closure to provide said edge with a shoulder, one of said spout side walls having a notch to receive said shoulder when the spout is moved to upstanding position.

7. In a carton, a dispensing structure comprising a dispensing opening of a fixed dimension and in part defined by opposed edge walls, said edge Walls having widely spaced portions and narrowly spaced portions separated by offset intermediate portions defining shoulders, a spout having a bottom hinged along a line generally normal to said edge walls at the ends of said widely spaced portions remote from said shoulders, side Walls disposed along opposite side edges of said bottom for engagement with said edge walls, said side walls having notches therein remote from said bottom and opening away from said bottom for receiving said shoulders to lock said spout in an open position.

8. The dispensing structure of claim 7 wherein said side walls project on opposite sides of said hinge line and said notches are generally aligned with said hinge line, whereby said spout is held in a fully open position when said shoulders are engaged in said notches.

References (Iited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,645,771 Pillsbury Oct. 18, 1927 2,010,863 Johnson Aug. 13, 1935 2,165,547 Mergentheim Jan. 18, 1938 2,634,897 Bord Apr. 14, 1953 2,812,127 Graybill Nov. 5, 1957 

